Backcountry Skiing on Waterhouse Peak

Waterhouse Peak is one of the most popular destinations
for the South Shore backcountry crowd. Its just out of town on Highway
89 at Luther Pass. The hike up starts just off the road and is not very
difficult. After climbing the 1,700+ feet vertical you reach the top of
what is not really Waterhouse Peak, but a sub peak with elevation of 9380.
From here you have the choice of a cliff laden concave bowl with a range
of exposures, or the north facing widely spaced trees which typically
catch and hold the snow from the Sierra storms. It's a quick tour so many
do it two or three times when it's good. The area is also fairly sheltered
so it can be a good choice on stormy days. The views are excellent (or
so I'm told, I've never had vis) and include Lake Tahoe.
Another option is to ski the actual Waterhouse Peak which involves parking at the east end of Luther Pass. The hike in is easier, but longer. The snow also holds well here but the skiing is lower angle and it does get a tad more sun. However, when conditions are right there is a gully on the eastern flank of Waterhouse proper that runs all the way down to Highway 88, giving you roughly 2400 feet of vertical. we did this February 18, 2005 and it was delightful. Unfortunately, we parked at the bridge rather than the Scott's Lake road so we had a bit of a hoof at the end of our journey.